The Career Path Gender Gap: Who Holds More Jobs?

One gender holds more jobs during their lifetime. / Credit: Career change image via Shutterstock

A study by Citi and LinkedIn revealed that men change jobs fewer times than women and are more likely to be in a field that relates to their college degree. Specifically, the average male baby boomer has had six different jobs over his career and expects his current job to be his last. Women in the same age bracket, however, have held eight jobs over the course of their career and plan on having at least two more before they retire.

In addition, 64 percent of men are in jobs closely related to what they studied while in college, compared with just 55 percent of women. Women, additionally, are more likely than men to think they will work in a completely different industry or at a different company in the next 10 years.

"The survey results illustrate how women are willing to take risks when it comes to their careers – they're thinking creatively about their paths, their definitions of success, and are prepared to reinvent themselves in order to achieve their goals,” said Linda Descano, head of content and social, North America marketing at Citi, and president and CEO of Women & Co., Citi's personal finance resource for women.

Men and women also disagree on what it means to be successful, with men bucking the typical stereotype. Nearly 80 percent of men equate "having it all" with being in a strong, loving marriage, compared to only 66 percent of women who feel the same. Male professionals are also more likely to factor kids into their definition of success.

“What really surprised us in the results of the study is that men don’t see money as the source of having it all — they actually place the highest value on family," said Jacky Carter, LinkedIn's community manager for Connect: Professional Women’s Network.

The study found that men and women also perceive themselves differently. Overall, women were more likely to think of themselves as good listeners, loyal, collaborative, detail-oriented and happy, while men were more likely to consider themselves as confident, ambitiousand family-oriented.

There are some things the men and women surveyed do agree on. Finding the right balance between work and family life is the No. 1 career concern for both genders; they both are more stressed at work than at home; and both ranked good health care benefits as their most important company perk.

The research was based on surveys of more than 1,000 professional LinkedIn members.

Chad Brooks is a Chicago-based freelance writer who has nearly 15 years experience in the media business. A graduate of Indiana University, he spent nearly a decade as a staff reporter for the Daily Herald in suburban Chicago, covering a wide array of topics including, local and state government, crime, the legal system and education. Following his years at the newspaper Chad worked in public relations, helping promote small businesses throughout the U.S. Follow him on Twitter.